Bagram hosts governors’ conference

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – A governors’ conference was held here Aug. 8 to discuss the course of action for the Sept. 18 elections of Regional Command-East provincial governors.

“We are in a very critical time for Afghanistan,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, RC-East commander. “The next six to nine months will be a crucial time for Afghanistan, and its progress toward a better future.”

One of the main areas of focus involved the peace and reintegration program, which, supported by a bill Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed in June, is designed to

encourage and facilitate the reintegration of former insurgents back into the Afghan community. The document is in its final draft phase and up for approval.

The governors of each province will have to implement the program, which will be hard because each province has its own problems, said Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, an Afghan minister through a translator.

“What I find promising is the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan realizes the diverse nature of each province so they are taking a holistic approach and assessing each individual case on its own history and merits,” said U.S. Army Col. Andrew Poppas, 101st Airborne Division, 1st Brigade Combat Team commander, native of Janesville, Wis. “It is progressive, beneficial and necessary.”

The second topic of discussion was election processes and mitigation issues. This part of the discussion entailed ensuring every Afghan who wants to vote gets to. Election security was also brought up during the conference.

“Election security is very important; as of 18 September, the world will be watching Afghanistan,” said Campbell. ”We will make this a safe election.”

Members from the RC-East command group, Afghan municipal mayors, eastern Afghanistan provincial governors, Independent Directorate of Local Government ministers and Afghan National Army commanders were some of the organizations that attended the conference.